EAPA-SA

What EAPA-SA does

EAPA-SA is the South African branch of the Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) International, established in 1997 as a non-profit Section 21 professional body representing Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) practitioners across South Africa. The organisation serves approximately 500 individual practitioner members and 21 service-provider members, operating through ten provincial chapters. Its mandate centres on professional credentialing, practitioner support, and advocacy for workplace wellbeing and employee assistance services.

Its core assets and offerings include four SAQA-recognised professional designations (registered in 2013), which position EAPA-SA as the only authorised credentialing body for EAP practitioners in South Africa, and the annual Eduweek conference, now in its 21st edition and recognised internationally through four World EAP of the Year awards and two EAPA International Branch of the Year accolades. Member operations are administered via the third-party GlueUp membership management platform, and the association pursues a continental expansion agenda through the EAP for Africa project, with active operations in Botswana, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi, Swaziland, and Tanzania, and outreach extending to Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Uganda.

Revenue is generated through three primary channels: tiered individual membership fees ranging from R350 (student/retired) to R4,020 (full practitioner), service-provider membership subscriptions, and registration and sponsorship revenue from Eduweek. A separate funding stream comes from corporate sponsorship of the EAP for Africa project, principally Chevron. As a non-profit professional association rather than a commercial enterprise, EAPA-SA's economics are oriented to self-sustaining operations, conference profitability, and project-based sponsorship rather than growth-stage financial returns.

Name

EAPA-SA

Legal name

Employee Assistance Professionals Association of South Africa (EAPA-SA)

Website

https://eapasa.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EAPA-SA is the South African non-profit professional association for Employee Assistance Programme practitioners, offering SAQA-recognised designations, ten provincial chapters, and the annual Eduweek conference, serving approximately 500 individual members and 21 service-provider members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Accreditation Appeals, Arbitration & Compliance Oversight Bodies (EDADACAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption (ABAC) (EDABADAA)

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Employee assistance programs
• Professional designations certification
• Continuing professional development
• Industry conference events

Headquarters

HQ city

Tshwane (Pretoria)

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership Fees: Annual membership fees charged to individual EAP practitioners and professionals. Individual membership is R600 per calendar year (January to December) and includes access to the members section of the website, CPD points, professional designation awards, and networking opportunities.
2. Service Provider Membership Fees: Annual membership fees charged to EAP service provider organisations, which vary by category from R2,000 to R4,020 per year. This includes associate members, external service providers (categories 1-4), private practice members, and internal service providers.
3. Eduweek Conference Revenue: Delegate registration fees for the annual Eduweek conference, ranging from R11,750 (3-day package) to R12,499 (4-day package) per person, plus additional revenue from the Presidential Awards Dinner (R1,400), sponsorship packages, and exhibition stand bookings. CPD points are offered alongside the programme.
4. Student/Retired Membership Fees: Reduced-rate annual membership for students or retired professionals at R350 per year, designed to build the future pipeline of the profession.
5. Advertising and Sponsorship: EAPA-SA offers advertising opportunities targeting wellness practitioners, HR professionals, and decision-makers in South Africa. Sponsorships are also available for the annual Eduweek event.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

EAPA-SA is the South African professional association for Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) practitioners, providing individual and service provider memberships, SAQA-recognised professional designations (EA Coordinator, EA Practitioner, EA Professional, EA Specialist), a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme, an annual flagship Eduweek conference and exhibition, a vetted directory of EAP service providers, national standards and ethics framework documents, and the cross-continental EAP for Africa outreach project. The association operates through ten provincial chapters across South Africa and is affiliated as a Branch of EAPA International.

Product overview

EAPA-SA operates as a professional association offering a membership-based portfolio of services for the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) industry in South Africa. The core offerings include Individual and Service Provider Memberships with SAQA-accredited professional designations (EA Coordinator, EA Practitioner, EA Professional, EA Specialist), and a structured CPD programme. The annual Eduweek conference serves as the flagship event providing education, networking, and awards. The organization also maintains a vetted directory of approved EAP service providers, publishes standards and ethics guidelines, and runs the EAP for Africa outreach project to expand the profession across the continent. The product portfolio is structured around membership tiers, professional certification, continuing education, and industry events rather than a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Membership Annual subscription for individual EAP practitioners and professionals at R600/year (R350/year for student/retired), granting access to SAQA-recognised professional designations, CPD tracking, members-only website content, networking events, and standards/ethics administration.
• Service Provider Membership Tiered annual membership for organisations delivering EAP services to client companies, with five categories (Associate, External Service Provider Categories 1-4, Internal Service Provider, and Private Practice) priced from R2,020 to R4,020 per year. Includes vetting, directory placement, and credibility endorsement.
• Eduweek Annual Conference EAPA-SA's flagship annual four-day professional conference and exhibition held at Emperors Palace, Johannesburg, offering CPD points (up to 16), masterclass workshops, plenary sessions, networking, industry awards, and the Presidential Awards Dinner for EAP and HR professionals from across Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
• SAQA Professional Designations Four SAQA-accredited professional designations awarded to qualified individual members — EA Coordinator, EA Practitioner, EA Professional, and EA Specialist — each loaded onto the National Learner Records Database (NLRD) in cycles (April and September).
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme Approved group CPD activities and training for EAP professionals to earn mandatory CPD points required for ongoing professional designation renewal; up to 16 CPD points available per Eduweek attendance.
• EAP Service Provider Directory Vetted online directory of active EAPA-SA member service providers, organised by membership tier (associate, external service provider categories, internal service provider, private practice) and accessible to prospective client companies seeking EAP services.
• EAP for Africa Project Outreach programme that establishes EAP professional associations, interest groups, and structures in African countries beyond South Africa, with active presence in Botswana, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi, Swaziland, Tanzania, and outreach to Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. Funded by Chevron and other sponsors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Eduweek carries a maximum of 16 CPD points, mandatory for professionals in the employee health and wellness field.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Emperors Palace Hotel Casino Convention ResortminorOthers · 14 September 2026Emperors Palace is the venue partner for Eduweek 2026, located next to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. EAPA-SA has negotiated discounted accommodation rates across three hotel tiers (3-star Peermont Metcourt, 4-star Peermont Mondior, and 5-star D'oreale Grande) for delegates. The venue code for discounted rates is EAPA_Sept2026.
• SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAQA recognises EAPA-SA as a professional body constituted to represent and regulate a recognised community of expert practitioners, with four registered professional designations (EA Coordinator, EA Practitioner, EA Professional, EA Specialist). EAPA-SA works with SAQA to load member designations onto the National Learner Records Database (NLRD) in two cycles per year (April and September).
• DPSA (Department of Public Service and Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEAPA-SA has been working with the DPSA in offering training and other resources to fulfil its mission, and has influenced the development of the Employee Health and Wellness framework for the public sector in South Africa.
• EAPA InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEAPA-SA affiliated as a Branch of EAPA International in 1997. EAPA International is the world's largest, oldest, and most respected membership organisation for employee assistance professionals, representing nearly 5,000 members in over 30 countries. EAPA-SA has received international recognition including Branch of the Year twice and four World EAP of the Year awards.
• SASSC / HPCSA (Professional Statutory Councils)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEAPA-SA works together with statutory councils such as HPCSA (Health Professions Council of South Africa) and SACSSP (South African Council for Social Service Professions) to ensure excellence in EAP practice. Members are required to provide proof of registration with relevant statutory bodies as part of the membership application process.
• ICASminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorICAS is listed as a South African EAP service provider involved in the EAP for Africa project and serves as a point of contact for expanding EAP structures into Zimbabwe. ICAS is also represented on the EAP for Africa committee through Radhi Vandayar.
• EOHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEOH is listed as a South African EAP service provider involved in the EAP for Africa project, with Jeanette Theron serving as a contact for establishing a link in Mozambique.
• CareWays GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCareWays Group is listed as a South African EAP service provider involved in the EAP for Africa committee, represented by Zaheer Hammersley.
• AONminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAON is listed as a South African EAP service provider operating in Africa as part of the EAP for Africa network.
• Workplace OptionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkplace Options is listed as a South African EAP service provider involved in the EAP for Africa project, with Cecilia Rachier serving as a contact point for Kenya.
• Stellenbosch UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEAPA-SA Western Cape Chapter collaborated with Stellenbosch University to host the Men's Mental Health Summit at the Tygerberg Campus on 26 June 2026.
• Abraham Kriel ChildcareminorOthersAbraham Kriel Childcare (Langlaagte Campus) partnered with EAPA-SA during its annual conference held at the Sandton International Convention Centre, collecting surplus food to prevent waste — part of the EAPA-SA Gives Back initiative.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM): SHRM is the largest global professional association for HR professionals, offering membership, certifications (SHRM-CP/SCP), and an annual conference. It is a broad incumbent: many EAPA-SA members are HR practitioners, and SHRM's credentialing and events model parallels EAPA-SA's at far greater scale.
• International Coaching Federation (ICF): ICF is the leading global credentialing body for professional coaches, with tiered membership, accredited designations, and CPD requirements. Comparable as a professional association with credentialing, networking, and conference revenue, but in a different (coaching) domain.

Emerging players

• International Stress Management Association (ISMA): ISMA is a professional association that promotes best practice in stress management and workplace wellbeing, with a comparable membership-and-CPD model. Overlaps with EAPA-SA on the wellbeing/professional development axis but is broader in scope (stress, not EAP-specific).
• ICAS International: ICAS is a multinational EAP service provider named as an EAPA-SA partner on the EAP for Africa committee. As a paid service-provider member of EAPA-SA, ICAS is comparable as a stakeholder in the SA EAP ecosystem — directly comparable to EAPA-SA's 21 service provider members but on the vendor side rather than the association side.

Regional players

• EAPA Canada: EAPA Canada is the Canadian chapter of EAPA International, providing professional development, conferences, and certification for EAP practitioners in Canada. Mirrors EAPA-SA's structure as a country-level professional body for the EAP field.
• EAPA UK & Ireland: EAPA UK & Ireland is the regional peer association for EAP professionals in the UK and Ireland, running its own annual conference, membership tiers, and CPD standards under the global EAPA umbrella. Operates the same professional-association model for a different geography.

Others

• International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP): IFEBP is a US/Canada-based non-profit education and research foundation serving the employee benefits community, with membership, certification, and conferences. Adjacent to EAPA-SA on the workforce-wellness ecosystem axis; not a direct competitor but operates a similar association model.
• South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA): SAQA is the statutory regulator that recognises EAPA-SA as a Professional Body and registers its four EAP designations on the NLRD. Not a peer in the commercial sense, but a critical ecosystem participant whose recognition underwrites EAPA-SA's regulatory moat.

Direct peers

• World EAP Association (WEAP): The global employee-assistance professional association ecosystem, including regional branch associations, broadly mirrors EAPA-SA's chapter-and-conference model. Conceptually comparable as the global network of EAP professional associations.
• EAPA International: EAPA International is the parent association of EAPA-SA, the world's largest membership body for EAP professionals, representing nearly 5,000 members across 30+ countries. EAPA-SA operates as its South African branch and is governed by the same professional standards and code of ethics. Most direct peer — operates the same membership, designation, and content model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eapasa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0PalqNkfFbWIBZCsq_i_Eg
• Facebookfacebook.com/eapasa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eapasa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about EAPA-SA